California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2023-013-04 for the Line 7049 Milepost 0.02 Recoat and Anode Install Project

2023050320

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW)

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/11/2023

5/11/2023

Sarah Bahm

CDFW

Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)

Lead/Public Agency

1234 East Shaw Avenue
Fresno, CA 93710

(559) 243-4005

Sarah.Bahm@wildlife.ca.gov

32S

25E

7

MDB&M

The Project is located in the southern San Joaquin Valley approximately 5.5 miles east of the community of Valley Acres in Kern County, California. The Project is specifically located within the Buena Vista Lake Bed United States Geological Survey 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle map in Township 32 South, Range 25 East, and Section 7, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian. The approximate center of the site is located at latitude at 35.1532° North and longitude -119.334387° West.

Statutory Exemption

California Code of Regulations, Title 14, section 15269, subd. (b); Public Resources Code, section 21080, subd. (b)(4)

Approval of this Project is subject to the statutory exemption for “Specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency” (Emergency Project; Pub. Resources Code, §21080, subd. (b)(4)) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA; Pub. Resources Code, §21000 et seq.). “Emergency” is defined as “A sudden, unexpected occurrence, involving a clear and imminent danger, demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential public services” (Pub. Resources Code, §21060.3). The purpose of the Project is to prevent pipeline failure and distribute cathodic protection current to protect the integrity at one location along the existing high-pressure natural gas pipeline 7049 (Line 7049) where anomalies have been detected. Southern California Gas Company is required to prevent corrosion of metallic pipelines by maintaining minimum levels of cathodic protection (CP) and is required to take prompt remedial action to correct any deficiencies indicated by the monitoring of existing CP levels (49 CFR, Part 192, Subpart I). Line 7049 has been out of compliance for more than one year, since March 2022, requiring reporting regarding the status of this pipeline be sent regularly to the California Public Utilities Commission. Southern California Gas Company provided the following information regarding the urgent nature of this Project: • Failure of Line 7049 at Milepost 0.02 would impact local customers in the town of Taft and surrounding areas which would require curtailment to non-core (i.e., gas supply to non-residential customers would be shut down until the pipeline is fixed); however, regional impacts are unlikely unless this failure also impacts Line 85. The Project will include excavating trenches along the pipeline to inspect, repair detected anomalies, recoat the pipeline, and install four interference anodes adjacent to the pipeline. Temporary disturbance areas will be returned to pre-project conditions and allowed to revegetate naturally. The total Project area will be approximately 53,392 square feet (1.23 acres acre), of which approximately 27,749 square feet (0.64 acre) is valley saltbush/allscale scrub and non-native grassland and approximately 25,643 square feet (0.59 acre) is disturbed/ developed (existing, unvegetated, compacted dirt roads). The Project is expected to temporarily disturb 0.64 acre of Covered Species habitat. Impacts will be minimized and fully mitigated through the implementation of measures required by Incidental Take Permit No. 2081 2023 013 04. Measures include: 1) Monthly Compliance Reports; 2) establishment of avoidance zones; 3) worker education; 4) species relocation; and 5) permanent habitat protection.